New encoding of biometric data
Are you a technology provider or do you use document reader (software)? Then this message is for you. Travel documents containing a new biometric encoding will begin circulating as of 2026. Update your software now, so your document reader (software) will also be able to read the biometric data of travel documents with the new encoding.
Following ICAO’s Doc 9303 standard, countries worldwide have started to prepare their travel documents (e.g., passports and identity cards) for a new encoding of biometric data (e.g., face, fingerprints, iris). This means document readers and mobile applications used to scan travel documents will need a software update to be able to ‘read’ this new and the current encoding.
Why should you care?
Systems for identity verification that are not updated (e.g., document readers, mobile applications) will not be able to interpret the biometric data. As a result, they won't be able to show this data nor perform automated identitity verifications.
Technical details*
- New encoding: ISO/IEC 39794-X
- Current encoding: ISO/IEC 19794-X:2005
* Travel documents containing current and new encoding are expected to be in circulation between January 1st 2026 > January 1st 2040 (approximately).
More about all ICAO publications, go to ICAO.int
